On May 17, 1994, the Caesars Windsor first opened its doors to the Public. In 2024, they are celebrating their 30th anniversary. Upon opening, they were temporarily located in the renovated Art Gallery of Windsor. It was Canada’s first casino to be run through a public-private partnership. Casino gaming in Canada was first introduced by David Cooke. He served as the municipal fairs minister under Premier Bob Rae’s NDP provincial government. It was in 1992 that Cooke was able to convince several prime ministers to open a single casino in Ontario.
In 1995, a Northern Belle casino boat was introduced in Ontario to help accommodate the command. However, it was not enough, and by 1998, the first permanent casino was built on Riverside Drive. Ten years later, the casino expanded in 2008. Adding a new hotel tower, a Collesum entertainment venue, ballrooms, and the rebranding to Caeraes Windsor.
What success has Caesars Windsor seen through the years?
When Caesars Windsor was at their peak, it had about 3,500 employees. Suzanne Tomkins, the manager of public relations and communications, reported their current employment is 2,000. Over the last 30 years, Caesars Windsor has donated $16 million to local charities and organizations. Additionally, they’ve generated substantial revenue. Contributing $92,317,744 to Caesars Windsor.
At Caesars Windsor, they see customers from Canada and America. Their customer base is slowly recovering from the losses they took after the pandemic. To adapt to the times, Caesars Windsor is embracing online gambling. They launched an app and opened a sportsbook in 2023. Currently, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is selecting a new casino operator. However, neither Caesars nor the OLG can confirm if Caesars applied to renew their contract.
OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti had this to say.
“We continue to work through the current Request for Proposal (RFP) phase and the pre-qualified proponents work on completing their bids for the opportunity in Windsor.”
There’s no set date for when the OLG will determine who the new casino operator will be.
